A New Species of Rhinergasilus Boeger et Thatcher, 1988 (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) from Gills of Astyanax fasciatus (Cuvier, 1819) (Actinopterygii: Characidae)

Author(s)

Narciso, Rodrigo Bravin ^[1] ; Brandao, Heleno ^[2] ; Perbiche-Neves, Gilmar ^[3] ; da Silva, Reinaldo Jose ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Sao Paulo State Univ, Inst Biosci, UNESP, Botucatu, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Tecnol Fed Parana UTFPR, Santa Helena, Parana - Brazil

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Carlos UFSCAR, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ACTA PARASITOLOGICA; v. 65, n. 2, p. 327-334, JUN 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 1

Abstract

Purpose To describe a new species of a parasitic copepod, Rhinergasilus digitus n. sp. (Cyclopoida, Ergasilidae), collected from the gills of the red-tailed lambari Astyanax fasciatus (Characiformes, Characidae) in two tributaries of the Jurumirim Reservoir (Upper Paranapanema River), Sao Paulo State, Brazil: Ribeirao dos Veados and Paranapanema River. Methods Fish were collected using multi-panel gills nets. The gill of each fish was washed and examined in a stereo microscope for copepods. The copepods found were stored in 70% ethanol, cleared in lactic acid, and mounted in Hoyer's medium. Drawings were made with the aid of a Leica microscope DMLS equipped with a drawing tube. Results The new species differs from its congeneric species, Rhinergasilus piranhus (type-species), in having comparatively biggest body size (body length: 535-598 mu m in the new species vs. 237-282 mu m in R. piranhus); second antennary segment armed with a minute sensillum near middle of inner margin and a row of spinules on outer margin; third exopodal segment of leg 1 with digitiform process; interpodal plates two and three both ornamented with spinules along posterior margin; leg 5 reduced and represented by two unequal setae. Conclusions Based on the morphological differences described above, we erected a new species of Rhinergasilus. Rhinergasilus digitus n. sp. is the second ergasilid described from A. fasciatus, as well as it represents the first report of this genus in a characid fish. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/24159-3 - The Taquari River as area of reproduction and recruitment of fish and its role in biodiversity maintenance of the Jurumirim Reservoir (Upper Rio Paranapanema, SP)
• Grantee: Reinaldo José da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants